Valves for reciprocating compressors



Nov. 29, 1955 LQHANSON 2,725,183

VALVES FOR RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS Filed gan. 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Shetl Nov. 29, 1955 HANSON VALVES FOR RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 10 1951 INVENTOR. La,

United States Patent O VALVES FOR RECIPROCATINGCOMPRESSORS Lars Hanson, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 10, 1951, Serial No. 2q s,411

1 Claim. 01. 230-231 This invention relates to valves of the flapper type for gaseous compressors and more particularly to valves of the flapper type employed as discharge or suction valves for reciprocating compressors.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a valve of the flapper type for use with the reciprocating compressor which provides a substantial improvement in efficiency and which permits a lower noise level to be obtained.

An object of the present invention is to provide a valve of the flapper type which can be manufactured at a low cost and which provides an increased valve area. Other objects of the invention will be readily perceived from the following description.

This invention relates to a reciprocating compressor having a cylinder, a cylinder head, and a valve plate placed between the cylinder and the cylinder head. The head is provided with a partition which cooperates with the plate to form a discharge compartment and a suction compartment. A discharge valve is mounted on the head side of the valve plate in the discharge compartment and serves to close ports through the plate. The discharge valve contains a base which is secured to the plate; three flexible fingers project from the base, each finger terminating in a head portion which closes the port. A suction valve is placed adjacent the opposite side of the plate and closes ports in the plate leading to the suction compartment. The suction valve also includes a base which serves to hold the valve in place adjacent the plate; three flexible fingers project from the base at an angle to each other. Each finger terminates in a disk or head portion which closes a port through the plate. Prefer ably, each disk portion of the suction valve is provided with a projection or protuberance which seats in a recess in the cylinder deck to prevent movement of the valve beyond a desired range; preferably, a stop member is provided to prevent movement of the discharge valve beyond a desired range.

The attached drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a reciprocating compressor illustrating the valve plate assembly;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the valve plate and discharge valve in position thereon;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III--III of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the suction valve in position in the assembly.

Referring to the attached drawing, there is shown a reciprocating compressor containing a cylinder 2, a cylinder head 3 and a valve plate 4 placed between the cylinder head 3 and the cylinder 2. The cylinder head 3 contains a partition 5 which cooperates with the valve plate to form two compartments 6 and 7 in head 3.

Valve plate 4 contains suction openings 8 and 9 and suction ports 10. The suction ports and the suction openings are formed in the base of compartment 7, suction ports 10 connecting compartment 7 with the cylinder 2. A discharge opening 11 and discharge ports 12 extend through plate 4 in compartment 6 connecting cylinder 2 with the compartment.

Discharge valve 13 is provided to close ports 12. Discharge valve 13 consists of a base 14 having three similar, flexible fingers 15 extending therefrom. Each of the fingers 15 terminates in adisk-like head portion 16 which serves to close port 12. A stop 17 is placed above valve 13. Stop 17 consists of a base 18 having three fingers 19 extending therefrom above the fingers 15 of valve 13. Valve 13 and stop 17 are mounted on plate 4 and are secured to plate 4 by suitable fastening members 20.

On the opposite side of plate 4 is provided a suction valve 21 which serves to close ports 10 extending through plate 4. Suction valve 21 consists of a base 22 having three similar, flexible fingers 23 extending therefrom at an angle to each other. The fingers 23 terminate in disk or head portions 24 which serve to close ports 10 extending through plate 4. If desired, a spring 25 may be provided to hold suction valve 21 in place closing ports 10. Valve 21 is supported by pins 26 extending from the cylinder deck 27. Preferably, recesses 28 are provided on the opposite side of the cylinder from pins 26. Each disk 24 is provided with a projection or protuberance 29 which is integral therewith and which serves as a stop to engage the bottom wall of recess 28 when the valve is drawn a predetermined distance from plate 4.

Considering the operation of the assembly, piston 31 in cylinder 2 is drawn downward thereby creating less pressure in the cylinder compartment than exists in compartment 7, permitting the gas in compartment 7 to force valve 21 away from ports 10 topermit gases in compartment 7 to be drawn within the cylinder. Piston 31 is raised, increasing pressure in the cylinder and forcing valves 21 to close and valves 13 to open. Stops 17 prevent opening of valves 13 beyond a predetermined point. The compressed gases then enter compartment 6 and pass therefrom through opening 11 to a condenser (not shown) of a refrigeration system. Suction gas returning from the evaporator of the refrigeration system enters the cylinder through openings 8 and 9. It is not deemed necessary to illustrate the refrigeration circuit since such systems are well known in the industry.

The present invention provides a simple, economical valve arrangement for a reciprocating compressor. It provides increased efficiency because of an increased valve area and greatly reduces the noise involved in the operation of the valves. Noise is reduced because it is possible to operate with a lower lift than is customary in conventional valve construction.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood my invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

The combination with a reciprocating compressor having a cylinder containing a deck recess, a cylinder head having two compartments formed therein, and a ported valve plate placed between the cylinder and the cylinder head, of a discharge 'valve connected on the head side of the plate in one compartment, said discharge valve including a base adapted to be secured to the plate and three similar, flexible, finger-like means projecting from the base, each finger-like member terminating in a disk portion adapted to close a port through the plate, a stop adjacent said discharge valve to prevent movement of the finger-like members of the discharge valve beyond a desired range of movement, and a suction valve connected adjacent the cylinder side of the plate, said suction valve including a base adapted to secure the suction valve in place adjacent the plate, three similar, flexible, fingerlike members projecting from the suction valve base at an angle to each other, each finger-like member terminating in a disk portion adapted to close a port through the plate, each disk portion having an integral projection to seat in the deck recess to prevent movement of the suction valve beyond a desired range, the connections between the discharge valve and the valve plate and the suction valve and the valve plate being disposed on opposite sides of that portion of the valve plate interposed between the cylinder and the compartment wherein the discharge valve is mounted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mansfield Apr. 12, Schmidt Oct. 4, Wenkel Jan. 25, Nelson Apr. 8, Clapp June 28, Wilson July 31, Bixler June 4, King Nov. 17, Buschmann J an. 20,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 2, 

